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Match Preview: Western Force vs ACT Brumbies Mark II
Saturday night sees the second coming of the Force Brumbies showdown with the first match proving plenty of relief for the home fans. The last time both teams met we were each standing at a crossroads and it seems that the Force have gone down the right path since then; downing the reigning champion Bulls in Perth, playing out a thriller with the Crusaders also at home in front of a full house, and re-signing a number of key personnel. The Brumbies meanwhile have simply gone from bad to worse. While there is the positive of having finally installed a coach for the next four season, the Brumbies look to be losing Mitch Chapman, Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, Matt Giteau, Salesi Ma’afu, Huia Edmonds and Adam Ashley Cooper for 2012. This could leave the Brumbies with just three players with any serious Wallabies experience in Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and Stephen Hoiles, whose Super game time this year will amount to just one game. Can things possibly get any worse for the Brumbies?
Both team’s fans will be hopeful of not just a win, but the kind of win that can erase the memory of the last game each team played. For the Brumbies it was the demoralizing, bottom-of-the-barrel loss to the lowly Lions at fortress Canberra. For the Force it was the ultra-bland kick-a-thon at SFS seeing us lose to a very average Waratahs outfit. Despite the need for some exciting, try-scoring rugby, the Force’s record of zero 4-try bonus points this season suggests that this will be yet another Aussie slug-fest. But then again neither side has anything to lose and there are Wallabies spots to gain...
Despite the Brumbies carrying a few injuries across the park, there will be plenty for Robbie Deans to look out for on show at NIB stadium. While Ben Alexander’s star has faded quite a bit this year, Robbie will be pleased to see him lining up at tight head alongside an in-form Stephen Moore. Moore will be attempting to wrestle the starting hooker role of the injury prone TPN while Alexander will be struggling to gain the ground he has lost on James Slipper and Sekope Kepu. In the Force front row there will be young Nathan Charles looking to show Deans that he has what it takes to be the Wallabies number 3 number 2. Charles has it all; strength, mobility and an inspirational back story of becoming an elite athlete with Cystic Fibrosis to boot.
Like Charles, Force second rower Sam Wykes might be hitting the scene just one year too late for this year’s world cup. Wykes has formed an excellent partnership with Wallaby stalwart Nathan Sharpe. The pair got the wood on Brumbies locks Mark Chisholm and Ben Hand in the previous encounter and will definitely look to do that again.
Despite the return of Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom, the backrow should be another strength for the Force in the upcoming clash. This will be the first game the Rock has played since the rout of the French and you can’t help but think that, as he has all but left for next season, he will be playing for himself first and the team second. Messrs Pocock, Hodgson and McCalman will be sure to make his first game back a miserable one. This holy trio for the Force should function much more effectively than Faingaa, Elsom and Salvi, and hopefully see quick attacking ball for the home side.
The halves make up for an intriguing battle of former Force halves in Valentine and Giteau versus Bretty ‘Shetland’ Sheehan and Willie Ripia. Why, oh why Rea has persisted with playing Valentine is beyond pretty much everyone- including Valentine. And why Giteau has yet again been shuffled around the backline is unbelievable. His best hope of starting for the Wallabies this year will be from 12, so why he isn’t he playing there? God knows 10 isn’t his position.
Speaking of players who should be played elsewhere, yet again Adam Ashley Cooper remains unseen in the Brumbies midfield with the thirteen jersey going to Tyrone Smith. He forms a dangerous looking back three with Henry Speight and Pat McCabe. Tony Rea is two weeks too late with these selections; the boring ‘kick it til the cows come home’ was tried and it failed, and short of some monumental idiocy from Richard Graham, won’t be be seen again this year. The Force’s back three also no slouches either with the zippy David Smith, the powerful Nick Cummins and the surprise package of Pat Dellit. Hard to pick a winner out of these two sets of outside backs and they can only really be separated by the quality of ball they get from their back row and playmakers.
The key match up on Saturday night will definitely be James O’Connor versus, well, everyone. James O’Connor versus Richard Graham’s lets kick everything tactics. James O’Connor versus Willie Ripia’s cut out passes. And if he does get the chance to run the ball, James O’Connor versus the Brumbies. Seriously though, the Force need to show O’Connor that there is reason to stay in Perth and finally put the contract saga to bed. Let’s see the quality of attack that the team is capable, the quality of attack that the Force fans have been dying for. Let’s finally see a four try bonus point.
The Prediction:
It wouldn’t be a Force home game without being a nail-biter. MBF will be making a lot of money off of heart pills. The Force will come out strong after a revitalizing bye week. You can’t help but think that the Brumbies will pull their finger out around the 30 minute mark to save themselves from Tony spREAy. Second half will start out a slop fest before the Force put the game beyond doubt around the 70th minute only for the Brumbies to score a try on the buzzer to add some respectability to the scoreboard. Force by 6.
The Teams:
The Force:
1. Pek Cowan
2. Nathan Charles
3. Matt Dunning
4. Sam Wykes
5. Nathan Sharpe (Captain)
6. Matt Hodgson
7. David Pocock
8. Ben McCalman
9. Brett Sheehan
10. Willie Ripia
11. David Smith
12. James O'Connor
13. Rory Sidey
14. Nick Cummins
15. Patrick Dellit
Reserves
16. Ben Whittaker
17. Kieran Longbottom
18. Tom Hockings
19. Jono Jenkins
20. James Stannard
21. Gene Fairbanks
22. Alfie Mafi
The Brumbies:
1. Jono Owen
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. Ben Hand
5. Mark Chisholm
6. Rocky Elsom
7. Colby Faingaa
8. Julian Salvi
9. Josh Valentine
10. Matt Giteau
11. Adam Ashley-Cooper
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Tyrone Smith
14. Henry Speight
15. Pat McCabe
Replacements:
16. Anthony Hegarty
17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa
18. Peter Kimlin
19. Michael Hooper
20. Patrick Phibbs
21. Robbie Coleman
22. Andrew Smith
